You might wonder whether the many Moon hoax conspiracy theories are really worth debunking in detail, especially after reading the previous chapter. It’s easy to think of these theories as the delusions of a small bunch of oddballs or as the concoctions of peddlers of ultimate truths seeking followers who are easily parted from their money.

But Moon hoax theories and doubts about the Moon landings are widespread in public opinion. Try an informal poll among your friends and relatives and you’ll notice this, especially in younger people. Modern cynicism and distrust of government, the passage of time and the gradual passing of the living witnesses of the Apollo missions will increase the appeal of conspiracy theories if nothing is done to expose their fallacies. These are the same processes that, on a very different level, feed Holocaust denial.

Besides, dealing with these claims is an excellent opportunity to retell the fascinating story of the Moon missions in a way that’s not pedantic but often lively and sometimes truly amusing.